Ball cock device for tanks



July 13, 1937. J. H. sTEBBlNs 2,086,645

BALL COCK DEVICE FOR TANKS Filed Feb. 17, 193e Srwentor Jamas f/Sebz'nq 6g E 2 Gttorneg Patented 'July 13, 1937A UNITED STATT-:s

PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in ballcock devices for tanks and the like, and an object of my improvements is to provide particularly for closet tanks or reservoirs means between an 5 inlet pipe and a float governor or ball-cock therel for adapted to automatically shut oii the water at the inlet pipe to prevent any siphonage from the pipe when water pressure is removed because of a closure of the inlet pipe-below the tank for any reason, such as to permit of repairs to l any of the mechanisms within the tank or otherwise.

Another object of my improvements is to include in said means an adjustable stopper for .1 the inlet pipe to cooperate therewith in varying l the delivery of the pipe and adjustably limiting the travel of the stopper as may be necessary.

Another object of my improvements is to associate with the inlet pipe a tubular element around and spaced apart coaxially from the inlet pipe and having its upper part adjustably closed by said stopper, combined with removable adjustable means between the ball-cock arm and connected thereto for loose slidable play ci the tubular element along the inlet pipe to permit downward movement of the tubular element to cause its stopper to close the delivery end of the pipe at times when the pipe is closed below the tank for repairs to any of the mechanisms in the tank or for other reasons whereby the water pressure or head is absent for said reasons and to thereby prevent siphonage of the water from the tank.

Another object of my improvements is to so shape the ball-cock arm terminally as to be reversibly separably associated with the said tubular element to permit variations in the scope oi play of the tubular element about said inlet pipe longitudinally.

40 While I have illustrated a preferred embodim-ent of my invention herein, it lis to be understood that various modifications in the details l of construction and arrangement of parts of 'the above apparatus and its connections may be made without departure from the principle and scope of the invention as deiined in the appended claims.

l Referring to the drawing; Fig. l is a vertical longitudinal section of a closet tank containing besides the usual discharge valve my improved ball-cock device for controlling the discharge of the supply or inlet-pipe, parts of the operating means for the discharge valve being removed. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical axial section of the tubular element, showing in elevation its top stopper and the inclosed upper and lower parts of the inlet pipe, intermediate parts of the said element and pipe being broken away. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the parts shown in said Fig. 2, with parts broken away or shown in vertical axial section. Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross section of the inlet pipe, tubular element and standard alongside them taken on the broken line ll--ll of said Fig. 3, and also displaying in top plan the urcations of the ball-cock arm and its means for 10 engaging movably both said standard and said tubular element removably, said arm being broken away. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section of an upper chamber of said tubular element, being a modication of the chamber part i5 of said element'as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

It is well known that leakages from tanks occur in those having controlling ball-cock devices for an inlet pipe, or otherwise caused, such as siphonage, and that much water is thus lost. 20 Also, when it becomes necessary to repair any of the mechanisms within such a tank, and the water head is cut oil below the tank, as in a basement remote from this apparatus, not only does siphonage occur within the tank at the discharge 25 part `of the inlet pipe in the tank, but causing much inconvenience and delay ineffecting the repairs.

My improvements therefore have as an end the Vprovision of automatically acting means in the 30 tank and related to and for closing the inlet pipe,

to prevent such siphonage, and to render more convenient such repairs as may prove necessary, thus saving time and the charges for the services of the plumber. 35

Referring to said Fig. 1, within the usual open top tank l for a water closet, a threaded water connectionv l'l has thereon a nut 2l to secure it within and traversing one end oi the bottom of the tank against an inner coned washer l which 40 may be of rubber, and the lower end of an inletpipe i3 of less diameter is stepped in said connection and has,` an open upper end. On said connection and resting on said washer I6 is a metal foot l5 carrying at one side an upright 45 standard Hl ending terminally with a laterally widened portion having in opposite front and rear sides small like bearing sockets I0 as shown in Fig. 4.

Above the standard Irl a chamber I8 is Iixed 50 on the upper end of a tubular element I2 which surrounds the upper part of the inlet pipe i3 with the upper termination of the latter extending` into the chamber just below its circumferential bulge. The upper part of this chamber is open 55 and contracted and threaded to seat a screw stopper 22 which projects upwardly and having therein a cross-pin 23. rIhis screw stopper is coaxial with the pipe I3 and has a bottom downwardly coned seat to receive and hold a rubber Washer 24 which is downwardly coned and to close and seal the upper end of the inlet pipe I3 below when the stopper is turned in one direction. The chamber I8 is provided with a waste pipe I9 which is directed to terminate over and extend into the upper end of the usual discharge pipe 20 in the tank which determines the water level therein. A bracket arm 3 fixed on the discharge pipe 20 carries an apertured terminal which seats slidingly a stem of the flush valve 2.

In said Fig. 5 is disclosed a specific modication of said chamber I8, in which the chamber has the lower part 18a xed on the inlet pipe I3, the upper part Ib of the chamber having an adjustable threaded connection at I 8c with the part I8a for adjustments up and down of the part Ib, and this part Ib has a central depending `part or stud carrying a like coned washer 24 to that shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The part ISb has a top boss IEd which by any suitable tool may be rotated to adjust the part I8b up or down to vary its spacing from the inlet pipe I3.

A cylindrical sleeve I I is fixed on the tube i2 a short distance below the chamber I8 and has at front and rear upwardly opening like notched seats IIa. Referring to said Figs. 3 and 4, a ball fioat 4 in the tank I has an elongated stem 5 carrying on its threaded end adjustably a shank 6 having furcations '1, each of which carries inwardly directed pairs of short cylindrical bosses or pins 8 and 9 alined from front to rear relative to each other. This fork I may be removably assembled with the notched sleeve II and IIa, by tilting the arm 5 and fork I downwardly sufficiently, when the screw 22 is turned reversely to lower tube I2 suiciently, to permit the pins 9 of the furcations to clear the sleeve II at which time the pins 3 may be inserted in the sockets I0 in the top of standard I 4 whereupon arm 5 may be swung upwardly enough to cause the fork pins 9 to descend into the upper open part of the notches IIa of the sleeve II. The screw 22 may then be rotated the other direction enough to raise the tube I2, causing a locking of the furcations to both the sleeve I I and the standard I4 for limited adjustable play of the arm 5 and float ball 4. In Fig. 1 the arm 5 shows its shank 6 with upturned furcations 7, and when desired or necessary, the arm may, before being mounted, be turned over to have the oifset furcations l sloping downwardly to thus decrease the length of play of the ball 4. l

It will be seen that al1 of the movable elements of the device are of a simple and inexpensive character, and easy to separate or re-assemble.

In the event that any leakage may occur in said tank which might cause siphonage by way of the inlet pipe I3, or which as in other devices might occur when a workman shuts off the water head by closing a valve below the tank or in some distant place such as a basement distantly below the tank, my above described mechanism will operate to prevent such siphonage particularly due to either cause. It will be understood that the ball-cock will act in the usual way in controlling the inlet pipe upon partial or complete exhaustion of the water in the tank past the opened discharge or ush valve 2.

In case the inlet pipe I3 is closed from below the tank, however, this causes a loss of water head in the pipe, permitting the tube I 2 to descend and the valve 24 to seat upon and close the upper end of the pipe I3 to prevent siphonage there. It will be thus understood that the ballcock will always operate as usual, when the water head has not been shut off from below, in shifting the chamber I8 and its valve 24 in the closing or opening of the gap between them and the pipe I3, and that the tube will not descend unless the water pressure is shut off from below or is forced downwardly by the upward movement of float 4 due to the filling of the tank.

This automatic action of my invention thus renders it possible for the operator to save time in making repairs after the water is shut off, or makes it possible for the user to temporarily close the use of the tank for a desired time, and without inconvenience, likewise in again placing the device in operation.

I claim:

1. A ball-cock device for a tank, comprising an inlet pipe extending thereinto, a tube with topg walled chamber loosely and longitudinally slidably mounted around the upper part of said pipe, a screw stopper for the upper end of the tube having adjustable seating in said chamber and having a depending valve-head therein for occasionally closing said pipe, a float in said tank having an arm with bent furcations having inner pintles which are connected to said tube so as to be disengageable therefrom only when the tube is sufficiently adjusted downwardly, and a supporting body fixed adjacent said tube on which said arm is rockably mounted.

2. A ball-cock device for a tank, comprising an inlet pipe extending thereinto, a tube loosely and longitudinally slidably mounted around the upper part of said pipe, a closed walled chamber having a lower part xed on the upper end of said tube in communication therewith and spaced around the upper open end of said pipe, the upper part of the chamber wall adjustably mounted on said lower part and having a depending valve device for at times closing the upper end of the pipe, a float in said tank having an arm, a xed supporting body adjacent said tube having bearing seats, said tube having bearing seats, said arm having studs loosely rockably and removably seated in the seats of said supporting body, and also having studs loosely slidably and removably seated in the seats of said tube and arranged to be removed therefrom upwardly only when the tube is adjusted downwardly enough to permit disengagement of said studs from said seats.

3. A ball-cock device for a tank, comprising an inlet pipe extending thereinto, a tube loosely slidably mounted around said pipe, spaced axially therefrom and having a walled chamber opening into its upper end and provided with a screw seat at its upper end, a screw mounted in said seat coaxially with said pipe and having a removable elastically sealing valve-head depending therefrom for at times closing the upper end of said pipe, a float in said tank, having an arm with end furcations having opposite pairs of inwardly directed studs', the tube having opposite upwardly opening seats for the outermost of said pairs of studs, means for swinga'bly supporting said arm and float having opposite sockets for receiving the innermost of said pairs of studs, and said arm being removable from said seats only when said tube is adjusted downwardly enough.

4. A ball-cook device for a tank, comprising in said tank having an oppositely reversible arm with inclined furcations which are releasable from said tube and disconnectible only upwardly therefrom, and a fixed supporting body in the tank adjacent to the tube on which said arm is 5 vrenflovably pivotally and adjustably mounted.

JAMES I-I. STEBBINS. 

